Nurse at Law: The Legal Nurse Consultant

The regular nursing work at healthcare facilities or hospitals can be rewarding but tiring. Do you want a change of pace, setting, or career? Nurses can take alternative career paths than the traditional roles nurses usually assume. A legal nurse consultant stands as an example of an alternative career for a nurse.

A Nurse at Law

A legal nurse consultant (LNC) works in tandem with law professionals in understanding and processing legal information related to the medical field. Specifically, you need to perform medical record research on people. You have to know and identify medical standards of care. You can even become an expert witness in cases ranging from malpractice to crime.

LNC vs. Paralegal

Now, it can be easy to confuse an LNC with a paralegal given that they serve similar roles. Paralegals perform different purposes for attorneys including research and other legal work that an LNC will be unable to do. LNC’s, on the other hand, simply handle medical-related legal information and tasks in cases. LNC’s cooperate with paralegals on cases.

The LNC’s Environment

You can find LNC’s working in a variety of workplace environments. Even hospitals, clinics, and patient care workers have LNC’s. Naturally, law firms have LNC’s, but so do health insurance companies and HMO’s. With enough experience and connections, you can even open up a private consulting firm of your own.

How to Become an LNC

You can become a legal nurse consultant by, of course, first being a Registered Nurse. You can then apply for a legal nurse consultant position in companies, although they usually require applicants with a few years of nursing experience. You can also take a training course and certification that will further give you the edge in becoming an LNC.

You can find a training course and certification through an online legal studies center. You can also do more research online to know more about LNC work. Becoming a legal nurse consultant can just give you the change you want from the everyday nursing work you have done in the last few years.